Hair-treating method and composition



Patented Aug. 2, 1927.

V UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. BROWN, 01' NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO E. FREDERICS, INC.,OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

HAIB-TREATING,METHOD AND COMPOSITION.

1T0 Drawing.

This invention relates to methods and compositions for the treatment ofhair'and particularly for imparting a permanent wave thereto.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved method of softeninghair without deleteriously affecting the same.

More specifically, the invention has for its object the provision of amethod whereby a tress of hair may be subjected to the softening actionof ammonia gas through the duration of the permanent wave treatment.

A further object is directed to the provision' of a composition for usein a method such as outlined above.

The invention accordingly comprises a method and a composition, both asexemplitied in the following detailed disclosure, and

the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

The invention is primarily directed to the softening of human hair inorder to ermit the normal contour of the strands t ereof to be alteredin such manner, for example, as will produce the effect commonly knownas a permanent wave, and accordingly the same will be exemplified inconnection with a permanent waving treatment. In such treatments, aplurality of strands of hair are commonly wound about a curlerconsisting ordinarily of a rod of any convenient ty e or size, andarranged to have heat applied thereto. About the coil of hair on thecurler there is preferably, wrapped a strip of absorbent material or apervious envelope, having a relatively impervious backin strip securedthereto in such manner that the latter will form a protective casingtherefor when the same is wrapped about a coil of hair. There may beemployed, for example, an envelope of absorbent material and a backingstrip, such as exemplified in the patent to Ernest O. Frederics, No.1,596,247, dated August 17, 1926, and in the copending application ofsaid Ernest O. Frederics, Serial No. 97 ,366, tiled March 26, 1926.

The present invention contemplates subjecting the hair to the softeninginfluence of ammonia gas in such quantities'as will not be harmful tothe hair, and preferably for such a duration as will cause a continuoussoftening of the hair through the permanent waving treatment. To thisend, a suitable pervious carrier may be employed Application filedAugust 26, 1926. Serial No. 131,813.

in the form'of a casing in the manner exemplified in the patent toErnest 0. Frederics enumerated above, and an ammoniareleasing materialenclosed therein, or preferably a carrier formed of absorbent materialmay be impregnated with a water admixture containing such material, andheat applied thereto while in proximity with the hair to be treated.

In the preferred manner of practicing the invention, a suitable carrierformed of absorbent material may be immersed in a bath containing awater admixture of a suitable" material, such, for example, as anunstable ammonium salt, the carrier wrapped about a coil of hair upon acurler, and heat applied to this for a suitable period of time,

for example from seven to ten minutes. In

connection with the foregoin it is to be understood that by an unstab eammonium salt is meant any ammonium salt which will give off ammoniaunder the conditions of heat usually prevailing in the waving of hair.Ordinarily sufliclent heat is applied to maintain the temperature of thematerials about the hair at 100 C. The heat will cause a steady andcontinuous evolution of ammonia from the ammonia-releasing materialthroughout the duration of the treatment, and will consequently cause acontinuous softening of the hair, which when dried will tend to hold theconvolutions or creased. For example, satisfactory results have beenobtained by the use of an admixture containing substantially 15 grams ofammonium acid tetraborate and 25 c. c. of aqua-ammonia, 26 B., to each250 c. c. of water.

While ammonium acid tetraborate has been exemplified as the preferredammonium salt for use in accordance with the invention,

it will be appreciated that other borates of ammonia, such, for example,as ammonium mono-borate, (NH ),.BO or ammonium tetraborate, (NILJ BJ)may also be employed.

Since certain changes in carrying out the above process and in thecomposition which embody the invention may be made without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intendedthat all matter contained in theabove description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as amatter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A method of treating hair, which includes subjecting the hair to asubstantially steady, continuous flow of ammonia for a period of time.

2. A method of treating hair, which includes bringing into proximitywith the hair to be treated a material chemically reactive to graduallyrelease ammonia at an elevated temperature, and applying heat to saidmaterial.

3. A method of treating hair, which includes bringing into proximitywith the hair to be treated an unstable ammonium salt.

4. A method of treating hair, which includes bringing into proximitywith the hair to be treated a borate of ammonia and water.

5. A method of imparting a permanent wave to hair, which includesbringing into proximity with the hair to be treated a materialcontaining a borate of ammonia, and applying heat thereto.

6. A method of treating hair, which includes bringing a borate ofammonia and water into proximity with the hair to be treated, andheating the same to a temperature approximately 100 C.

Y -7. A. method of treating hair, which inwhile in proximity with thehair to be treated.

10. A method of treating hair, which includes bringing into proximitywlth the hair to'be treated an aqueous solution containing a borate ofammonia and ammonium hydroxide.

11. A method of treating hair, which includes impregnating an absorbentcarrier with an aqueous solution containing substantial proportions'ofammonium acid tetraborate and ammonium hydroxide.

12. A hair-treating composition comprising a borate of ammonia, andWater.

13. A hair-treating composition comprising ammonium acid tetraborate andwater.

14. A hair-treating composition compris wei ht of aming substantially 30parts y monium acid tetraborate, and su stantially 250 parts by weightof water.

15. A composition for treating hair, including a borate of ammonia,ammonium hydroxide, and water.

16. A hair-treating composition comprising substantially 15 grams ofammonium acid tetraborate, and an amount of aqueous ammonia theeffective ammoniacal. stren h of which is substantially equivalent to tat of 25 c. c. of aqua ammonia, 26 B., to each 250 c. c. ofwater.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

, Janns 0. BROWN.

